The U.S. Department of State has officially designated four Iran-aligned militia groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) on September 17, 2025. This significant move aims to intensify pressure on these groups by imposing stricter sanctions and restrictions to disrupt their operations and financial networks. The designated entities are Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali.
Previously, all four groups were classified as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs). Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada received this designation in 2023. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that these Iran-aligned militia groups have been responsible for attacks against the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and bases hosting U.S. and Coalition forces, often using front names or proxy organizations to conceal their involvement. The United States continues to identify Iran as the world's foremost state sponsor of terrorism, reaffirming its commitment to holding Iran and its affiliated groups accountable for destabilizing actions in the Middle East and threatening U.S. interests.
This designation aligns with a broader strategy of applying maximum pressure on Iran to curtail its support for proxy forces. Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, for example, has been linked to the January 2024 drone attack that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members at Tower 22 in Jordan. The U.S. Treasury Department has concurrently imposed sanctions on a network operating out of the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, which allegedly facilitated the sale of Iranian oil to fund Iran's military endeavors, aiming to disrupt key financial streams that finance Iran's weapons programs and its broader malign activities.
The designations underscore the U.S. government's commitment to utilizing all available tools to safeguard national security interests and deny resources to terrorist organizations. This action occurs as Iran faces potential renewed UN sanctions due to significant violations of the 2015 nuclear deal.